[WEB4LIB] RE: Decision tree for Web resources

[Jim Campbell]

I'm looking more for tools than concepts, something to help the user narrow
down the choices.

- Jim Campbell
Campbell at Virginia.edu
 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: web4lib at webjunction.org 
> [mailto:web4lib at webjunction.org] On Behalf Of Pons, 
> Lisa (ponslm)
> Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 11:25 AM
> To: Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: [WEB4LIB] RE: Decision tree for Web resources
> 
> Are you asking about information architecture? One of the 
> best books is "Information Architecture for the World Wide Web".
> 
> We had six months to re-design our site a few years ago, and 
> spent 3 of that on the architecture. It was worth it, as we 
> have added things without major changes.
> 
> Our architecture was "role" based- though now I think we 
> could have been a little more "task" oriented. 
> 
> Lisa Pons-Haitz
> 
> Webmaster
> University Libraries
> University of Cincinnati
> lisa.pons at uc.edu
> (513)556-1431
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Jim Campbell [mailto:campbell at virginia.edu]
> > Sent: Wednesday, March 16, 2005 10:45 AM
> > To: Multiple recipients of list
> > Subject: [WEB4LIB] Decision tree for Web resources
> > 
> > 
> > We offer users a lot of information and a lot of paths to that 
> > information.
> > Both are a good thing and both can sometimes get in the way of 
> > actually finding the specific information a user needs. 
> Adding an Open 
> > URL resolver and working on metasearch should have 
> simplified things a 
> > bit, but at least for now more options have just created even more 
> > confusion for both staff and users.  We need some 
> hierararchy that can 
> > establish what the best approach is for a given need.
> > 
> > I've seen/heard of various attempts at reader's advisors, asking 
> > questions to narrow down a user's options, but off hand I can't 
> > remember where or what they are. Can anyone suggest good 
> examples of 
> > this sort of thing? Perhaps more importantly, if they're 
> out there do 
> > people actually use them?
> > 
> >  
> > - Jim Campbell
> >  
> > Digital Access Coordinator and
> > Librarian for German
> > University of Virginia Library
> > Voice: 434-924-4985
> > E-Mail: Campbell at Virginia.Edu
> >  
> > "Pessimismo dell'intelligenza, ottimismo della volontà. "
> > (Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will.)
> >    - Antonio Gramsci.  Quaderni dal carcere. 
> > 
> > 
> > 
> 
> 
>